Business Administration, Management and Operations at Hiram College

Hiram College's business program launches graduates into careers earning roughly $10,000 below the Ohio median and $20,000+ less than Ohio's flagship universities. That first-year salary of $36,105 places this program in just the 25th percentile among Ohio business programs—meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state options deliver stronger starting outcomes. The debt burden is fairly typical at $28,259, but when stacked against those modest earnings, the financial picture looks strained.

The trajectory does improve: earnings jump 40% by year four, reaching $50,405. That's solid growth, though graduates are still catching up to where peers from stronger programs started. For an Ohio family comparing in-state options, the contrast is stark—schools like Miami University and Ohio State produce business graduates earning $60,000+ right out of the gate. With a 93% admission rate, Hiram offers accessibility, but that openness doesn't translate to competitive career outcomes in this field.

The math here is straightforward: if your student can gain admission to one of Ohio's stronger business programs, the earnings differential is substantial enough to justify the effort. Hiram's business degree isn't prohibitively expensive, but it's delivering results well below what Ohio families can reasonably expect from better-established programs across the state.